Non-HDL cholesterol is a good predictor of the risk of increased arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women in an urban Brazilian population

OBJECTIVES: Increased arterial stiffness is an important determinant of the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lipid profile impairment, especially hypercholesterolemia, is associated with stiffer blood vessels. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine which of the five circulating lipid components (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides) is the best predictor of increased arterial stiffness in an urban Brazilian population. METHODS: A random sample of 1,662 individuals from the general population of Vitoria, Brazil (25-64 years), was selected, and lipid components were measured using standard methods. Pulse wave velocity was measured using a non-invasive automatic device, and increased arterial stiffness was defined as a pulse wave velocity ≥10 m/s. RESULTS: In men, only total cholesterol (OR=1.59; CI=1.02 to 2.48, p=0.04) was associated with the risk of increased arterial stiffness. In women, HDL-C (OR=1.99; CI=1.18 to 3.35, p=0.01) and non-HDL-C (OR=1.61; CI=1.01 to 2.56, p=0.04) were good predictors of the risk of increased arterial stiffness. However, these associations were only found in postmenopausal women (OR=2.06; CI=1.00 to 4.26, p=0.05 for HDL-C and OR=1.83; CI=1.01 to 3.33, p=0.04 for non-HDL-C). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that both HDL-C and non-HDL-C are good predictors of the risk of increased arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women in an urban Brazilian population and may be useful tools for assessing the risk of arterial stiffness

O papel organizacional de clubes de futebol brasileiros e os conceitos de organização e instituição

Football clubs, in addition to being entities responsible for managing the team, are also spaces for socialization, creation of memories, rites and deep manifestations of fans. In Brazil, however, there is still no consensus about the organizationalrole played by such entities. Thus, this article aims, from theoretical reflections based on the concepts of organization and institution, to point out ways for a possible organizational classification of such entities within the sports industry.Los clubes de fútbol, además de ser entidades responsables de la gestión del equipo, también son espacios de socialización, de creación de recuerdos, ritos y expresiones profundas de la afición. En Brasil, aún no hay un consenso sobre las discusionesen torno al rol organizativo que juegan estas entidades. Por tanto, a partir de reflexiones teóricas basadas en los conceptos de organización e institución, este artículo busca señalar caminos para una posible clasificación organizativa de dichasentidades dentro de la industria del deporte.Os clubes de futebol, além de serem entidades responsáveis pela gestão da equipe, são também espaços de socialização, de criação de memórias, ritos e manifestações profundas de torcedores. No Brasil, no entanto, ainda não há consenso sobre o papel organizacional desempenhado por tais entidades. Desta maneira, o objetivo deste artigo é, a partir de reflexões teóricas pautadas nos conceitos de organização e instituição, apontar caminhos para uma possível taxonomia organizacional de tais entidades dentro da indústria do esporte

BOOT LIMIT: UMA APLICAÇÃO EM RADIOQUÍMICA

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi utilizar o método bootstrap para construir intervalos de confiança para limite de detecção em estudos radioquímicos. Para tanto, foi desenvolvido um programa computacional na linguagem C++ que foi denominado de boot limit. Para testar o boot limit, determinou-se a concentração de 210Pb em condições de background (branco) usando o método da resina trocadora de íons em amostras de água deionizada. Neste caso, o limite de detecção variou de 26,7 a 140,7 mBq.L-1, com média de 70,34 mB.L-1. Os resultados mostraram que o método bootstrap é uma ferramenta estatística bastante eficiente para construir intervalos de confiança na determinação do limite de detecção em radioquímica

Theoretical Investigations of the Herbicide Glyphosate Adsorption on the B12N12 Nanocluster

Nowadays is emergent the development of new materials which can be used in the adsorption process to remove herbicide glyphosate from the aquatic environment. Therefore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the adsorption process of the glyphosate on the B12N12 nanocage in aqueous media. The optimized structures of adsorbed glyphosate do not affect the nanocage structure indicating its structural stability. The chemisorption of this herbicide is an exothermic process with −43.89 kcal.mol-1. The most stable complex displayed an adsorption energy and ∆G values of −53.97 and −40.79 kcal.mol-1, respectively. The HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energies are located in the glyphosate implying that this herbicide can be removed by chemical reaction. Our results show that the B12N12 nanocluster can be a suitable new nanomaterial to remove the glyphosate from wastewater. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v9i3.99

Evaluation of phenyl-propanedione on yellowing and chemical-mechanical properties of experimental dental resin-based materials

Objective To evaluate the influence of phenyl-propanedione on yellowing and chemical-mechanical properties of experimental resin-based materials photoactivated using different light curing units (LCUs). Material and Methods Experimental resin-based materials with the same organic matrix (60:40 wt% BisGMA:TEGDMA) were mechanically blended using a centrifugal mixing device. To this blend, different photoinitiator systems were added in equimolar concentrations with aliphatic amine doubled by wt%: 0.4 wt% CQ; 0.38 wt% PPD; or 0.2 wt% CQ and 0.19 wt% PPD. The degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), Young’s modulus (YM), Knoop hardness (KNH), crosslinking density (CLD), and yellowing (Y) were evaluated (n=10). All samples were light cured with the following LCUs: a halogen lamp (XL 2500), a monowave LED (Radii), or a polywave LED (Valo) with 16 J/cm2. The results were analysed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α=0.05). Results No statistical differences were found between the different photoinitiator systems to KNH, CLS, FS, and YM properties (p≥0.05). PPD/CQ association showed the higher DC values compared with CQ and PPD isolated systems when photoactivated by a polywave LED (p≤0.05). Y values were highest for the CQ compared with the PPD systems (p≤0.05). Conclusion PPD isolated system promoted similar chemical and mechanical properties and less yellowing compared with the CQ isolated system, regardless of the LCU used

Collateral Arteries of the Aortic Arch in Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Background: Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) are rodents belonging to the Muridae family. Recently, breeding of this species as pets has increased significantly. Animal models are being investigated to study diseases related to the human aortic arch. Despite the importance of the aortic arch in maintaining homeostasis, there is limited data available regarding its morphology in gerbils. This study was performed with the objective of describing the collateral branches of the aortic arch in this animal to establish a standard model and thus contribute to future research on cardiovascular diseases in humans.Materials, Methods & Results: This study used 20 male specimens from previous studies that were frozen and stored at the Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy of the Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid Region. After thawing the animals, the thoracic cavity was opened for aortic cannulation. The vascular system was washed using saline solution and Neoprene latex stained with red pigment was injected. Subsequently, the animals were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and were dissected and analyzed 72 h later. The arrangement of the collateral branches of the aortic arch in gerbils was analyzed in all animals. The brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid, and the left subclavian artery were observed to originate as collateral branches. The brachiocephalic trunk bifurcated into the right common carotid and the right subclavian arteries. The right and the left subclavian arteries branched into the vertebral artery, the internal thoracic artery, the superficial cervical artery, the costocervical trunk, and the axillary artery.Discussion: Several studies reported in the literature describe the collateral branches of the aortic arch in domestic and wild mammalian species. These studies examined the main arteries that originate directly from the aortic arch and their respective branches, and classified the different anatomical variants of the aortic arch in each species. Three different arrangements have been commonly described. The first type corresponds only to the brachiocephalic artery originating from the aortic arch. The right and the left common carotid arteries and the right and the left subclavian arteries originate from this brachiocephalic artery. This type has already been described in the laboratory rat, catingueiro-deer, cattle, and horses. The second type is characterized by the presence of 2 arteries - the brachiocephalic trunk and the left subclavian artery. The right and the left common carotid arteries and the right subclavian artery originate from the brachiocephalic trunk. This arrangement has been reported in most species already studied such as rodents including the paca, chinchilla, guinea pig, mocó, nutria and the preá. The third type of vascular arrangement is observed in the gerbil. In this species, 3 collateral arteries originate from the aortic arch (the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid, and the left subclavian artery). The right common carotid and the right subclavian artery originate from the brachiocephalic trunk. This vascular model has been described in the manatee, in humans, mice, sauim, and the monkey-nail. Thus, we concluded that the branching pattern of the aortic arch of the gerbil was characterized by the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid, and the left subclavian artery, as has been described in mice, the manatee, monkey-nail, sauim, and humans. Based on these morphological characteristics, gerbils could serve as potential experimental models to study diseases related to the human aortic arch

Zoneamento agrícola de risco climático para o o cultivo de Physalis peruviana no Sudeste do Brasil

The objective of this work was to elaborate the agricultural zoning of climatic risk (ZARC) for Physalis peruviana, through the thermal and water requirements of the crop in Southeastern Brazil. Air temperature (TAR) and precipitation (PANO) data from 1,530 meteorological stations covering the entire region were used. Regions climatically favorable to physalis were considered when TAR was between 13 and 18ºC, and PANO between 1,000 and 2,000 mm per year. Regions where TAR was above 30ºC, or less than 13ºC, were considered inapt. Maps were created with this information, through the use of mapping technologies to identify the climatic characteristics, and establish the agricultural aptitude classes, such as apt, inapt, and marginal for the cultivation of physalis. Southeastern Brazil showed a thermal variation from 16.5 to 22.6°C, and water amplitude from 800 to 2,800 mm. ZARC shows that 10% of Southeastern Brazil is climatically apt for the cultivation of Physalis peruviana, corresponding to the following regions: central and southern Minas Gerais, western Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, and eastern and southern São Paulo.O objetivo deste trabalho foi elaborar o zoneamento agrícola de risco climático (ZARC) para Physalis peruviana, por meio das exigências térmicas e hídricas da cultura na região Sudeste do Brasil. Foram utilizados dados de temperatura do ar (TAR) e precipitação (PANO) de 1.530 estações meteorológicas que contemplam toda a região. As regiões foram consideradas climaticamente favoráveis ao physalis quando a TAR foi entre 13 e 18ºC e PANO entre 1.000 e 2.000 mm por ano. As regiões com TAR acima de 30ºC ou abaixo de 13ºC foram consideradas inaptas. Os mapas foram construídos a partir dessas informações e por meio do uso de tecnologias de mapeamento, para identificar as características climáticas e estabelecer as classes de aptidão agrícola como aptas, inaptas e marginais para o cultivo de physalis. A região Sudeste apresentou variação térmica de 16,5 a 22,6°C e amplitude hídrica de 800 a 2.800 mm. O ZARC mostra que 10% da região Sudeste do Brasil são climaticamente aptos ao cultivo do Physalis peruviana, o que corresponde às regiões: central/sul de Minas Gerais, oeste do Rio de Janeiro/Espírito Santo e leste/sul de São Paulo

Can transcranial direct current stimulation on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves balance and functional mobility in Parkinson’s disease?

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique increasingly explored for Parkinson's disease (PD). Although evidence is still inconsistent, there are preliminary findings suggesting its efficacy to improve motor function in individuals with PD, as the role of secondary motor areas remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tDCS on balance and functional mobility of individuals with PD. Seventeen individuals with PD, on-medication, aged between 40 and 90 years were recruited to enroll in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial. Each participant completed two conditions at least 48h apart, namely anodal-tDCS and sham-tDCS (placebo). The a-tDCS condition targeted the left DLPC (F3) and was applied during 20min using a 2mA current intensity. In the sham-tDCS condition, electrode position remained the same but the stimulator was turned off after 30s. Functional mobility and balance were assessed using the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index and Timed Up and Go. There were significant differences between conditions on all outcome measures, as the a-tDCS condition was associated with better performance in comparison to the sham condition (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that a-tDCS on the left DLPFC improves balance and functional mobility in comparison to sham-tDCS. Compensatory mechanisms that support motor function in individuals with PD may have been enhanced by a-tDCS on the DLPFC, leading to improved functional mobility and balance. Future trials should explore left DLPFC stimulation with larger samples and compare t-DCS protocols targeting several brain regions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio